Allow members of the gay and bisexual community to give blood.

In 1985, the Food and Drug Administration initiated a ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men (MSM). The ban was started in response to the AIDS epidemic and the statistics that suggest MSM are at a higher risk for contracting HIV. Since then, AIDS statistics and ability to monitor blood borne illness have changed drastically, yet the ban has stayed in place. If lifted, up to 219,000 pints of blood could be donated each year. One pint of blood can save up to three lives. A bias and out-of-date ban is preventing the possibility of hundreds of thousands of lives to be saved. Regardless of your opinion on LGBT issues or HIV/AIDS, it's clear that government has failed on this issue, and it's time for change.

Letter to

United States Food & Drug Administration

I just signed the following petition addressed to: United States Food & Drug Administration.

----------------Allow members of the gay and bisexual community to give blood.

In 1985, the Food and Drug Administration initiated a ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men (MSM). The ban was started in response to the AIDS epidemic and the statistics that suggest MSM are at a higher risk for contracting HIV. Since then, AIDS statistics and ability to monitor blood borne illness have changed drastically, yet the ban has stayed in place. If lifted, up to 219,000 pints of blood could be donated each year. One pint of blood can save up to three lives. A bias and out-of-date ban is preventing the possibility of hundreds of thousands of lives to be saved. Regardless of your opinion on LGBT issues or HIV/AIDS, it's clear that government has failed on this issue, and it's time for change.----------------